Sacred Community - Sarasota County Extension
Contemplative Food Gardening:
*Sacred Community”
(attracting beneficials)
Robert Kluson
Ag/NR Extension Agent III
UF/IFAS Sarasota County Extension
OUTLINE
‣Overview & Goals of Contemplative
Food Gardening Presentation Series
‣Short Review of Contemplative Food
Gardens
‣Growing Community
‣ Your ecological community
‣ Your contemplative community
Contemplative Food Gardening
• Introduction
Series Titles
• Feed Your Head (Edible Landscaping & Design)
• Growing Food When People & Place Matter
(FL Climate, Crops and Soils)
• Ancient Traditions (Companion Planting and
Biodynamic Agriculture)
• Sacred Community (Attracting Beneficials)
• Soil Food (Compost & Earthworms)
• Back to the Future (Contemplative Design &
Container Gardening)
Goals for Talks on
Contemplative Introduction Food Gardening
– Food for your freshest nutrition
– Food for thought
– Food for community benefits
– Food for your soul
Approach of Talks on
Contemplative Food Gardening
• Integrate the concepts of contemplative
gardens and edible landscaping, using
organic food gardening practices
• Provide background information on the
science and principles from agroecology
for successful organic food gardening
•
• Offer an opportunity to participate in the
setup of a contemplative food garden at
Warm Mineral Springs Spa
• Provide additional educational resources
Review: What is Edible Landscaping?
The thoughtful arrangement of edible plants in the landscape
into a unified, functional biological whole to maximize their
aesthetic appeal and food production.
Treating Edibles as Ornamentals
Review:
What Is Organic Food Gardening?
Review:Organic Food Gardening
• It’s a science and art
• Incorporates the entire landscape design
and environment, e.g., to improve and
maximize the garden soil's structure, life &
health
• Maximizes the production and health of
developing food plants without using
synthetic commercial fertilizers, pesticides,
or fungicides
David Knauft, Horticulture Department, Univ. of GA
www.caes.uga.edu/extension/clarke/anr/documents/Organicgardening.pdf
Review: Contemplative Food Gardening
Gardening outside the rows…creatively for
personal inspiration and growth, as well as
physical nourishment and growth
Food For Your Soul
The outward spring and garden are a reflection
of the inward garden . . .
. . . Cease looking for flowers there blooms a
garden in your own home. While you go looking
for trinkets, your treasure house awaits you in
your own being . . .
Rumi
Sufi poet
1207-1273
Contemplative Garden Approach
Discover your inward garden to grow your
outward garden
Your inward garden lies in your
imagination, memory, character, & dreams
Your outward garden lies upon your land –
a private landscape for wandering, for
dancing, for daydreaming
J.M. Messervy
Landscape Architect Visionary
Review: Contemplative Food
Garden Design Approach
Turn
your
yard into
a garden
full of
spaces
of
meaning
and
magic …
Ecological Communities
‣Science of Agroecology
‣ the application of ecological concepts &
principles to the design & management of
sustainable food production
‣ provides a framework based on the
scientific study of the ecology of natural
systems.
Ecosystem Model from Nature
Food Garden Ecosystem
pests
beneficials
crops
soil
• Garden agroecosystems have functional properties &
subsystems from biodiversity management
Agroecosystem Ecology
“Concept of Community”
Context of a Food Plant Community
For
example,
Insects
http://www.spinelesswonders.com.au/merchandise/posters/posters.html
Food Garden Insect Community Example
What Is A Beneficial Insect?
Honey bee
Ladybug beetle
• Any insect that controls
harmful pests or pollinates
plants. Beneficial insects
include honey bees, native
bees, ladybugs, and
lacewing larvae
Bumble bee
Green lacewing
Food
Garden
Benefical
Insect
Examples
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/FAQ/naturalenemies-poster.pdf
What Is A Pest Insect?
Stink Bug
• An insect that is out of
place and/or timing
according to crop
production needs
Leaf Miner
Pepper Wevil
http://www.gardeningwithkids.org/15-6345.html
Food Garden Pest Insect Examples
Insect Herbivores Ecology Example
• Agroecosystem Benefits
– Prey for pollinators
– Components of food web
– Decomposers of plant debris
– Predators of other insects
• Agroecosystem Costs
– Loss of food yield & harvest
– Disease vectors of crops
• Overall Agroecosystem Impact
– Balance of benefits vs costs
Of all insect species in the world
Less than 1%
Considered
to be pests
Beneficial or not
considered to be pests
(> 99%)
Know How to Identify Pests vs Beneficials !!
Pests or Beneficials?
Cultural Traditions of Beneficial Insects
SACRED BEES
Honey bees and honey are present in the creation myths,
cosmologies and sacred places of many diverse ancient
cultures.
Honey bees were considered a symbol of the soul, of
death and of rebirth
The hive of honey bees symbolized a functional society.
Honey was regarded as a magical, sacred substance.
Honey has had many uses:
‣ foods and beverages
‣ heal wounds and cure diseases
‣ placed in tombs and used for embalming
http://beehaven.heroku.com/history-of-bee-worship
SACRED BEES
In the mythology of ancient
Greece the Omphalos was the
beehive or stone at the center of
reality. It served as the portal to
their gods.
Omphalos stones were
erected in several areas
surrounding the Mediterranean
Sea; the most famous of those
was at the oracle in Delphi.
Persephone with the Omphalos (i.e.,
Beehive) on her head at the Eleusis
Museum in Athens
http://sacredpathofthebee.tumblr.com/
SACRED BEES
Jewelry depicting a bee goddess, Greek c. 700 BCE
Ancient bee goddesses
included Aprodite, Artemis,
Cybele, Demeter,
Persephone, and Neith.
The ancient priestesses of
the Bee Goddesses were
known as the Melissaes in
Greek and the Deborahs in
Hebrew.
The Melissae represent
the sacred feminine tradition.
http://sacredpathofthebee.tumblr.com/
SACRED BEES
Bhramari Devi,
the ancient Bee
Goddess of India,
(the “protector”)
“The queen bee is
to her hive as a
goddess is to her
earthlings”
http://www.thebeegoddess.com/id38.html
Legend of Bhramari Devi, Bee Goddess
Bramari" signifies the 'Bees'
in Hindi language.
The central heart chakra is
said to possess 12 petals and
helps build the antibodies to
protect humans from disease.
Within this chakra resides
Bhramari Devi and emits the
droning notes of 'Bees' termed
'Bhramaran' as it throbs. It
protects us from external
attacks of negativities like
bacteria or virus.
भ्रामरी
Bhramari Devi, Bee Goddess, Legend
According to Hindu mythology, there once lived an asura (demon)
called Arun. He wanted to establish his kingdom by driving out the
devas (nature spirits) with his invading army.
The devas prayed to the deity Parmeshwari Devi to save them. She
transformed herself into a large bee and with a swarm of bees which
emerged out from her form surrounded the wives of the devas and
sent out numerous lines of black bees, which joined with those
emerging from her hands, covering the whole Earth.
The sky was completely overcast with the swarm of bees, and the
Earth was cast into darkness and the spectacle presented a terrific
sight. Then the black bees began to tear assunder the breasts of the
demons, as bees sting those who disturb their hives.
The powerless asuras could not fight or communicate with one
another, and so perished rapidly. Adi Shakti, in her form as the divine
bee approached Aruna asura and said, "O, asura! Meet your end!" And
she stung him to death.
SACRED BEES
Mayan Bee God Mok Chi
The ancient Maya revered honey for its medicinal and
ritualistic uses. Their pantheon of gods include a number of
Bee gods, such as Ah-Muzen-Cab and Mok Chi, a multi faceted
figure who is featured prominently in Mayan art and mythology.
In the Yucatan, it is believed that the Ah-Mucen-Cab protects
the locals from ‘Killer Bees’.
http://andrewgough.co.uk/bee2_2.html
Mayan Bee god Ah Muzen Cab
SACRED BEES
Scenes from Slovenia Today
Beeshed with small front
boards over the gullet with
different little pictures
depicting Saints, people
and animals and especially
from everyday life.
Slovenian Melissae
from long history of
beekeeping.
http://www.thezaurus.com/gallery/112
SACRED BEES
Today there are contempary
artists & interpreters of some
sacred practices and images of
historical bee mythology.
For example, the frame drum
was played by the Melissae. Their
rituals and rhythms were drawn
from their interaction with their bee
hives. They serve as the inspiration
of modern Melissae rituals.
Melissae in Beeyard
See website of ‘Hymns from the Hive’ -
http://www.layneredmond.com/Hymns_from_the_Hive.html
Garden Contemplations of
Beneficial Insects
Importance of Pollinators
• More than 75% of flowering plants depend
on animal pollinators
• In U.S., over 100 crop plants depend on
animal pollinators (value >$15 Billion)
• Most natural ecosystems would collapse
without animal pollinators
• Some plants are endangered because of
diminished pollination
35
Fossil record that insect diversity increased dramatically following the
origin of the flowering plants 100 M Yrs BP (in the Cretaceous period).
Coevolution: Pollinators & Flowering Plants
100 M
Yrs
BP
Why is pollination important?
• Sexual reproduction is important for
evolution:
• Sexual reproduction produces variable
offspring, creating diversity and variation
among populations (shuffling of genes)
• You need variation for Natural Selection to
occur
• Sexual reproduction is advantageous to an
organism only if it happens with someone
other than itself!
• Outbreeding = good! (inbreeding = bad…)
1 37
Function of flower
• To attract pollinators with colorful petals,
scent, nectar and pollen
Carpel/
1 38
Benefits to the pollinators.
• Benefits
– Pollen
• rich food source
– Nectar
• average ~ 40%
sugar
– No benefit? -
Trickery
• pseudocopulation
Bee
Ophrys –
diagram
from
Charles
Darwin
www.biol.wwu.edu/.../Coevolution/
Pollination
Impacts
• About 130
US crops are
pollinated by
bees
• List of crops
that benefit
but do not
require bee
visitation
http://gears.tucson.ars.a
g.gov/beeclass/Pollinatio
n.pdf
1 43
Pollination Impacts
• List of crops that require bee visitation
http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/beeclass/Pollination.pdf
1 44
• List of crops that require bee visitation
Pollination Impacts
45
Native Bee Diversity
Sweat bee
(Agapostemon spp)
Carpenter bee
(Xylocopa spp)
Mason bee
(Osmia spp)
Carder bee
(Anthidium spp)
Bumble bee
(Bombus spp)
Native Bee Background
• There are approximately 4,000 native bee
species in North America
• In Florida there are 6 families and 360
genera of native bees
• Florida has a relatively large number of
endemic species and subspecies
• Native bees are the most important
pollinators of Florida native plants,
although many other animals are also
pollinators (e.g., butterflies, moths, beetle
and birds)
Native Bee Life Cycle
Complete Metamorphosis
1) Inside brood cell
• Egg
• Larvae
• Pupae
11 months
2)Outside brood cell
• Adult
6 weeks
Mining bee
Ground Nest Example
Entrance
Tunnel
Brood cells
Polyester bee
(Colletes spp)
Soil nest profile
Ground Nest Example
Cavity Nest Example
• Creating Wood/Cavity Nesting Cover
• Wood or tunnel nesting bees example
Bundle of
paper straws
Wooden block
with drilled holes
C
o
v
e
r
Florida Species Example
Leaf Cutting Bees
In Florida there are 63 different species (plus
five subspecies) within seven genera in the
family Megachilidea (Ashmeadiella, Heriades,
Hoplitis, Coelioxys, Lithurgus, Megachile, and
Osmia)
Anthidium spp
Osmia spp.
Megachile spp.
Coelioxys spp
Leaf Cutting Bee Pollinators
• Important native pollinators of many
wildflowers
• Used as commercial pollinators
(like honey bees) in fruits,
vegetables and other crops such as
alfalfa, onions, carrots, and
blueberries, e.g. Osmia spp.
Megachile spp
on alfalfa flower
Leaf Cutting Bee Biology
• Use 0.25 to 0.5 inch circular pieces of
leaves they neatly cut from plants
• Construct cigar-shaped nests in
cavities in soil, rotten wood, and plant
stems
Cut leaves
Nest
• Nests contain several cells, each
containing stored pollen and a single
egg
• Overwinter in these nests as
newly formed adults
Leaf Cutting Bee Habitat Mgt
• Small diameter holes (size of a nickel or
smaller) in soft, rotting wood are an ideal
nesting site for these bees
• Some leafcutter bees will nest in thickstemmed
plants (such as roses and bamboo)
with hollowed openings
Megachile spp entering a wood nest
Leaf Cutting Bee Ecology
• Can be considered a pest because of leaf cutting on
ornamental plants, e.g., roses, azaleas, ash, redbud,
bougainvillea and other plants with thin smooth leaves
• Although the cutting can destroy the aesthetics, it
rarely harms the plant
• Prevent nesting by sealing pruned ends with wax or
white glue
Biological Control of Pest Insects
with Beneficial Insects
Most pests have natural
enemies (biological control
agents) that regulate their
population and are adapted to
searching out & feeding on their
host.
Insect biological control agents
exist as predators or parasites.
Ladybug beetle
Biological control is an important
component of any integrated pest
management (IPM) program. Parasitic Ichneumonidae Wasp
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
“Bio-Intensive Approach”
• Developed because the practice of
conventional IPM has strayed from its
ecological roots !
• Conventional IPM criticized now as
“Integrated Pesticide Management”
• Conventional IPM is missing guidelines for
ecology-based manipulations of the
agroecosystem that address the questions:
– Why is the pest there?
– How did it arrive?
– Why doesn’t the parasite/predator complex
control the pest?
Bio-Intensive IPM
“State of the Art” Research
• Use a systems level and multiple redundant
approach (e.g., the use of offsite hedgerows to
provide “habitat” and “guilds" of food plants and
beneficial insects)
• Consider dispersion indices for insects foraging
behavior
• Establish ‘overwintering’ sites for beneficials
• Entrainment - some insects (especially parasitic
wasps and flies) can perform associative
learning (i.e.,"tune in" to a particular pest when
“happy” in their environment)
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/farmscape.html
Bio-Intensive IPM Example
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360138508002197
Bio-Intensive IPM
• Successful habitats for desired
beneficial insects have 4
requirements:
– Food (e.g., insectary plants)
– Cover (e.g., nests)
– Water
– Space
Providing
Water
Providing Cover
• “Natural area” groupings of bare areas, ground
cover, shrubs, and small trees
• Increase vertical height diversity
• Both food and cover can be provided at the
same time
Providing Space
• Group flowers and other plants together
to make large patches
• Allow sufficient area for different
plantings to provide food throughout the
year and a variety of flower types.
• Think about the landscape near your
property
Providing Food: Insectary Plants
Characteristics
• Provide the protein (in pollen) and
carbohydrates (in nectar) that
beneficials need to thrive and produce
more offspring.
• Available as supplemental food source
when the pest insects they feed on are
in short supply.
Insectary Plant Characteristics
• Commonly with small, shallow
flowers suited for most beneficials
that are minute in size, with
shorter mouthparts
• Examples - umbel-type plants
(flower clusters shaped like flattopped
umbrellas) like those
found in the carrot or Apiaceae
family (dill, cilantro, etc.) and
certain flowers found in the
composite or Asteraceae family
(daisy and chamomile)
Insectary Plant Characteristics
• Presence of extrafloral
nectaries (nectar sources
located outside the flower,
e.g., the petiole or stem).
• A few examples include
sunflowers, and legumes
or Fabaceae family, e.g.,
lupines and vetch
K. Wetherbee. 2004. Organic Gardening; Apr/May2004, Vol. 51(3)
Eartheasy.com
Bio-Intensive IPM
With Seasonal Insectary Plants
• Spring
Mustards for
Ladybugs &
Syrphid fly adults
• Summer
Queen Anne’s Lace for
Scollid Wasps & ladybugs
• Fall
Fennel for
Syrphid flies & small parasitic wasps
• Winter
Dandelion for
Syrphid flies & small parasitic wasps
Insectary Plants
With Florida Native Plants
• Native plant/insect research shows
high levels of insect interactions
• Florida native plants are known
insectary plants
• Examples:
– Butterfly plants
– Coreopsis spp - syrphid flies, lady
beetles, lacewings, and parasitic
wasps
Contemplative Food Gardening
Nurture the child in you and rediscover awe for
the world of beneficial insects in the garden
Summary
• “Grow” a community of beneficial insects in
your contemplative food garden
• Prepare your garden areas with the habitat for
beneficial insects by providing
- Food - Water - Cover - Space
• The cultural & horticultural aspects of a
community of beneficial insects offer you many
contemplations in your garden
Resouces
• Altieria, M. 2009. Agroecology, Small Farms, and
Food Soverignty. Monthly Review: Volume 61(3) -
see http://monthlyreview.org/2009/07/01/agroecology-smallfarms-and-food-sovereignty
• Biodynamic Farming & Gardening Association -
see https://www.biodynamics.com/
• Cornell Cooperative Extension. 1999. Companion
Planting – see
http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/chemung/agriculture/publicatio
ns/companion-planting.pdf
• Dufour, R. 2000. Farmscaping to Enhance
Biological Control. A.T.T.R.A .Publication. - see
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/sites/default/files/farms
caping.pdf
•Sawyers, C. 2012. The Authentic Garden: Five
Principles for Cultivating a Sense of Place. Timber
Press. Portland, OR.
Resouces
• Kourik, R. 1986. Designing and Maintaining Your
Edible Landscape Naturally. Metamorphic Press, Santa
Monica, CA.
• Kuepper, G. & M. Dodson. 2009. Companion
Planting: Concepts & Principles - see
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=72
• Messervy, J.M. 1989. The Magic Land: Designing
Your Own Enchanted Garden. McMillan Publishers.
•Ransome, H.M. 2004. The Sacred Bee in Ancient
Times and Folklore. Dover Books.
Resources
• Stahl, R. 2009. Comparison of Companion
Planting Guides for Most Common Garden
Vegetables - see
http://www.slideshare.net/Plangarden/companion-plantingcomparison-of-garden-pro-advice
• Stevens, J.M. 2009. Organic Vegetable
Gardening. UF/IFAS EDIS Publication #CIR375
– see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh019
• Stephens, J.M. et.al. 2010. Florida Vegetable
Gardening Guide. UF/IFAS EDIS Publication
#SP103 - see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh021
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